One of the biggest worries that students face is performing well on their exams. Stressing on upcoming exams is a real issue many students face.

And the only way to remedy this issue is to be prepared for exams. But what are the best ways to prepare for upcoming exams? How can a student ensure that they will be able to perform well on an exam?

We’ve put together this detailed guide to help students be better prepared for their upcoming exams.

How to Prepare for Upcoming Exams

To ensure that you are better prepared for your upcoming exams, you want to make sure you adopt the best studying strategies.

By following these strategies, you will see improved results in your exams.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Flashcards

One of the easiest strategies for studying any subject is to make flashcards.

Flashcards are a great way to write down questions on one side and present the answers on the other side.

You should have a friend help you study by asking you the questions from the flashcards. The more you practice answering these questions, the easier it’ll be for you to retain the information.

2. Organize Your Study Area

This may sound trivial, but it’s very possible that much of your anxiety comes from your study area.

If your desk is poorly organized, you will spend a lot of time finding that missing pen or that sheet with your notes, when you could spend that time studying.

Before you begin studying for the day, you should first clean your desk. You should organize your notes and stack them on one side of the desk.

Your desk should only have the books relevant to the subject you are studying at the time. Your other books should be kept on a bookshelf.

Your study area should have as little clutter as possible. Unless time is of the essence, you should be taking food breaks away from your desk.

Try not to have any distractions in your study area. Keep your phone away, make sure the television is off, and only listen to music if it helps you focus.

3. Eat Well and Rest Well

We briefly mentioned food breaks in the previous tip. One of the biggest issues that students face when studying is that they do not nourish themselves.

While you may wish to study non-stop, you don’t realize that not taking adequate breaks and eating well will definitely hinder your performance when you take your exam.

You should take breaks to eat full meals during breakfast, lunch and dinner. You want to make sure you are satisfied with your meals so that you don’t feel a relentless hunger while studying.

When you do snack, we recommend nuts, seeds, yogurt and blueberries, and other fruits. You should also be hydrated while you study.

When you go for your exam, make sure you are hydrated and that you have eaten well.

It’s imperative that you get a full eight hours of sleep each night. Do not unnecessarily stay up late to study. If you are feeling exhausted, it’s best to sleep early and resume your studies in the morning.

If you feel like taking a nap during the day, you should do so. You can also rest by taking a break from your studies to go for a walk, read, watch tv, etc.

Taking your mind off your studies for a moment makes you feel refreshed when you get back to studying.

4. Take Older Exams

If possible, you should ask your teachers if you can take an older version of your upcoming exams.

While the questions are likely to be different, the format is likely to be similar to your upcoming exam.

This will give you an idea of the format of the exam. This will make it easier for you to prepare for the exam. You can use this opportunity to time yourself and see how long it takes you to complete the exam.

You can realize what aspects of the exam your strengths lie in; it could be that you do well with multiple choice questions but need improvement in “fill in the blank” sections.

5. Discuss What You’ve Learned

A great way to test and assess your knowledge is to discuss what you’ve learned with others.

Just as with flashcards you are telling your study partner the answers to questions, you can have a conversation with your study partner about what you’ve learned.

If you have to read a novel for your exam, explain what you’ve read and what you’ve learned from the text to your study partner.

If you have to learn about a scientific concept, can you explain this concept in layman’s terms? Can you describe a historical event in detail and talk about its significance?

By verbally articulating what you’ve learned from your studies, you will know if you have understood the subject or if there’s more studying to be done.

6. Be Slow and Steady and Stay Focused

Finally, whether you are preparing for the exam or are taking the exam, you need to be slow and steady. You need to always stay focused and be “in the moment.”

When you are studying for your exam, you need to focus on the subject matter at hand. You should not think about the exam or moving onto your next subject. Focus solely on the text you are reading or the problem you are solving.

You should not think about your rest time either. Focus on studying. When it comes time to rest, focus on resting or having fun – get studying off your mind!

When you are taking the exam, you need to focus on the problem at hand. Do not glance ahead and the next few questions.

Keep an eye of the time but don’t be in a rush to complete your exam. Your focus needs to be on the current question presented to you.

Good Luck!

Now that you know how to properly prepare for your upcoming exams, you will feel less anxious.

By following the steps in this guide you will likely see a greater performance and better results.